The Last Day of October
by ASWhite
Summary: A little epic poem specially for Halloween. It is set during the sixth book and is about how Tonks and Lupin are coping  or rather not coping  with being apart. It includes an invocation of a muse and everything you'd expect from an epic poem - I hope!


As a sort of 'Halloween Special' I've written a very little epic poem. Those of you reading my story 'Seven Years' will already know what a Lupin-o-phile I am, so it will come as no surprise that this poem is about him.

Oh, and one more thing: I tried keeping the meter regular but it was just too hard...(I'm rubbish at poetry) so I've tried to make it sound nice, rather than worry about where the stressed syllables are. Also, it's supposed to be pentameter for eight lines and then hexameter for two lines with a couplet at the end of each verse – I haven't checked if I remembered my own rule all the way through though...

On the last day of stormy October,

I sat at my desk and thought of the sun.

The evening sun to be precise. Red gold

and gleaming, and so unique to autumn

it made me think of halloween. That strange

celebration of death and the macabre.

With that in mind, I ask'd the muse: please tell

me a tale, about the heroes I love.

About magic, but especially the werewolf.

I'm fond of hearing about his troubles and trials.

I'm not sure why that should be so, maybe

I can see myself reflected in him.

Or maybe it's 'cause I know he is brave

but broken, very kind but dangerous.

He is a man full of contradictions.

A story about a man so puzzling

seems to be a good choice for Halloween.

The muse considered my request and this

is what she said: girl, you have work to be doing,

but just this once, I'll see what tales I have brewing.

The story is set during the sixth book

of the saga that you are so fond of.

The halloween that fell during that year

was not a happy one for our poor wolf.

At the order of a great wizard call'd

Dumbledore, our Remus Lupin had been

'living among his fellows, his equals'

as he told the brave Harry that Christmas.

Our Remus had been trying to change the werewolves'

dim view of mankind, but was not having much luck.

He made his case well, but if there were some

who had listened, they kept their thoughts secret.

And Greyback thwarted Remus' argument

not with reason or logic, but with brawn.

He sneered at the kind Remus Lupin's words,

and used violence to stay in control.

Remus himself had suffered at the hands

of the cruel Greyback's wild temper.

Though Remus was a superior magician,

when it came to brute strength, Greyback had dominion.

However, standing up to the werewolf

who had bitten him, was not what troubled

him most. Nor was it facing the cruelty

of the werewolf's dismal underground world.

Rather it was the misery he felt

when he thought of the witch, he left behind.

He loved her passionately, and although

she had boldly declared she loved him too,

Remus decided he had to end their affair

lest he condemn his love to a life of despair.

Tonks, his love, had repeatedly declared

his monstrous affliction did not matter.

But while not purposefully obdurate,

none of her loving pleas could change his mind.

"You could be so much happier" he said,

"with someone whole. Someone who deserves you.

"With whom there is not a constant danger."

"But can you not see? I only want you.

"Whatever the hardships of a life by your side,

it outshines any life with my heart denied."

But Remus, unloved for so long, could not

accept the truth of the young witch's words.

On Halloween, when witches and wizards

are supposed to make merry, our lovers

sat together, but at once still apart,

while they discussed the work of the Order.

For it was also the start of a war,

between light and dark magic. Already,

they had lost someone, whom they both had loved deeply.

And now, Order meetings were still held in his house.

It hurt Remus to be there, while his friend

was not. Tonks too thought of the place as dead.

But dutifully they went to listen

to reports, instructions and future plans.

It had been a long time since they last saw

the person they dream of every night.

They found it hard to conceal their longing.

When the meeting was over, our werewolf

would have left without a word to his ex-lover,

fearing, as he did, new pains he could discover.

But daring Tonks chased him into the street

"You're leaving without even saying hello?"

Remus slowly turned to face the pale face

of the once bright and vivacious woman.

"I should have known better," the werewolf said,

"than to try and sneak off." Tonks remembered

how it used to be between them and smiled.

She remembered the jokes and the kisses,

and the night they made love for the very first time.

She thought of all the things others could not see,

but which formed the reasons she loved him so.

"How are you?" He asked, and her smile faded.

She told him of her work and made small talk.

He listened intently, as he always did.

But before she could stop it, Tonks asked him:

"What are you doing tonight?" And he frowned.

"I can't Tonks, I have to get back." He said.

Tonks bit her lip, and cast her eyes around.

She noticed the jack-o'-lanterns lining the street,

And the children out looking for a trick or treat.

They've no idea, Tonks thought to herself,

of how ill the world treated 'real monsters'.

For one night they celebrated darkness,

but when morning breaks they will reject it.

Those first thought fright'ning, like her dear Remus,

were shunned, avoided, for no just reason.

And Remus himself would sooner believe

those that cruelly branded him a monster

than the very woman who knew him best of all.

Why can we not always cheer those who are different?

Why does it have to be for just one night?

"I miss you Remus." Tonks told the werewolf.

"Tonks please. I - I've not changed my mind. I can't

be with you. It would be unfair on you."

"You're just afraid. You think I wont love you

when the journey gets harder, but you're wrong."

For the hundredth time, the werewolf said no.

He turned to leave, but daring Tonks caught him.

She wrapped her arms around him, and he did the same.

He had missed her just as much, his arms did proclaim.

"Please be careful." She begged. "You too." He said.

Then she pulled back, and quite by accident,

he gave her a kiss, his tearful eyes closed.

Her mind was deluged with loving feeling,

so she kissed him too, with all of her heart.

Like the colour of autumn leaves, his kiss

was warm and beautiful, but like the leaves,

it was a sign of oncoming winter.

For as much as he wanted to, he didn't stay.

He left Tonks again, thinking it was for the best.

And their souls, like flowers, would remain dead,

until winter ended, if ever it did.

One kiss, on the last day of October.

Perhaps he will kiss me again, Tonks thought,

when we are half-way out of the darkness,

When we look to the spring, and all it's warmth.

I will keep hoping summer will return,

because his darkness doesn't frighten me.

One day he'll believe me. Till then, I'll wrap my fright

in innocence, like we do on all Hallow's night.


End file.
